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Allison
Plot Tex is sitting at a desk in the Classroom, out of armor. She is hunched over the touch-screen table, looking on at a video recording of C.T. The recording flashes images of various, seemingly random things on the screen. Then they go away, and C.T. is alone. (C.T. Recording): You and Bowman are the only two people I can trust. I feel that Drake-...Washington has been compromised. The others won't fully understand, and will probably choose to ignore it if they do. I'm trusting you to carry out what I left behind, in the likely event of my death. Be careful, Agent Texas. The recording stops. Tex pulls the flashdrive from weeks before out of the USB port on the desk. She then looks down at her hands in disbelief. (Male Voice): Hey (The voice startles Tex, and she turns to find Bowman standing in the doorway with his usual sleepwear on.) What are you doing up so late? (Tex): I- uh... I was just- um- going over a replay from out last sparring session. Trying to figure out where you went wrong, to see if I could help you get past it. (Bowman): Any luck? (Tex): I think so. You were waiting too long for me to make a move. (Bowman): I thought you said to wait for my opponent to make a move. (Tex): At the beginning of a fight, yes, but once you're in the middle, you have to predict and counter before the next attack comes. You and I have been sparring enough that you should have learned my patterns. (Bowman): That makes sense. I'll try that next time. (Tex): Anyway, why are you up this late? (Bowman): The usual. (He sits down across from her.) (Tex): Nightmares? (Bowman nods.) Were they of Marissa this time, or Maine? (Bowman): Neither, actually. (Tex looks up, intrigued.) They were of C.T. (Tex): Why? You didn't kill her. (Bowman): Officially, no, but I talked her up to the Director, and told Wash that she was moving up. I gave him hope, and he was forced to put a bullet in her head not a week later. (Tex): Oh... that's stupid. (Bowman is taken aback.) You didn't have anything to do with her death, really. So why would you be having nightmares of her? I think, your brain is stressed about something else, but you're interpreting it as blame for C.T.'s death. (Bowman): I had not thought of that. I'm not sure exactly what to do with that information, but thanks, I guess. Bowman stands up and leaves the room and Tex to contemplate her message from C.T. End Scene Bowman walks in to the Observation Deck, York and North are sitting at one of the small tables, out of armor, watching Carolina down on the field. Bowman's helmet retreats to its resting position, as Bowman sits down next to North, across from York. (Bowman): What's up with Carolina? (York): Look up there. (He points to the Leaderboard, that Bowman then turns to.) The Leaderboard reads: Texas, Bowman, Carolina, New York, Wyoming, North Dakota, Washington, South Dakota. Maine and Connecticut have lines struck through their names at the bottom. (Bowman): When did I pass her? (North): When Maine died. (This sentence hits Bowman right in the chest. His face reflects his feeling.) You didn't know? (York): The Director counts that toward the points, even though it was technically a friendly fire. (Bowman): But why? (North): It's a kill. That's why Wash is higher on the list than South. (York): I'm honestly surprised, though. I mean, Maine was pretty high on the board, but you didn't pass Tex. She and Carolina were pretty close in rank. (Bowman; sarcastically): Maybe that's because Tex is the Director's favorite. (York and North only chuckle.) Bowman looks down at Carolina, who's punching and kicking little green circles as they spin around her, and they disappear after they are hit. The circles are all dispersed, but Carolina stays ready. (Female Computerized Voice): Simulation Complete; sixteen point four seco- (Carolina): -Run it again, Phyllis. (Phyllis): I am the Freelancer Integrated Logistics and Security System, Agent Carolina, why do you call me “Phyllis?” (Carolina): It's easier to say than F.I.L.S.S., now run it again! The green circles appear in four tiers of circular groups, that spin in alternating directions. Carolina begins punching and kicking the circles again, this time seemingly faster. She finishes the exercise quickly, as Bowman enters the field. (F.I.L.S.S.): Simulation Complete; fourteen point three seconds. (Carolina): Again! (F.I.L.S.S.): Agent Carolina, you have run the exercise twenty-one times this evening, I do not recommend running it again. (Carolina): Phyllis! Run. It. Again! (Bowman): Carolina! (She turns to face him, she barely struggles to stay standing.) You're pushing yourself too hard. What's this about? (Carolina; through gasps for air): Texas... She keeps... beating me... (Bowman): In what? (Carolina): In- in everything! S-she beats me in the training room, she beats me on missions, she beats me to the Bridge for briefing, she beats me in getting an A.I., she beats me in being the Director's favorite, she beats me with you- (Carolina cuts herself off, and turns back toward the targets. Bowman places his hand on her shoulder and turns her around.) (Bowman): Carol- Callie... (Carolina): No! Forget it! Just forget it... (Bowman): Callie, we are not a thing. Tex and I, nor you and I. I love both of you, you're my family, but I haven't ever felt anything different. I thought you didn't either. (Carolina): I don't, Bowman, I mean that we used to be so much closer, but you've been getting to know her. She was the teacher's pet that we all hated, and now it feels like I'm the only one who sees through her bullshit. (Bowman): Carolina, I think that this, what you're saying, isn't really how you feel. I think that you're jealous of her. We all were, but then we came to respect her, as she did us. She has been a valuable member of the team, and has yet to let any of us down. Especially after C.T., we needed to stick closer together to affirm the idea that we are a team. (Carolina): I'm not jealous of her! I don't think it's fair that she gets everything. That she can do whatever she wants, but somehow make the right choice. I don't think it's fair that after being here for a month she gets the second A.I., but the rest of us have been here for over a year! I don't think it's fair that she gets the solo missions! I don't think it's fair that she won over my family! This has Bowman taken aback. (Bowman): She didn't “win” us over, Callie... She's our teammate, and holding a grudge against her wasn't going to solve anything. I moved past it, and you should too. Carolina turns back to the targets and begins punching and kicking them. Elsewhere... Tex is sitting on her bed, twirling the flash drive in her hand. She is staring at the ground, lost in thought. (Tex): What if it's true... What if she's right, and everything she said is true... Then again, what if it's not true? Why would she go through such lengths to make sure I found this information? Would it be to break the team apart, so get me on her side. But, she knew she'd be dead, so why even bother? It... it must be true... She believed it to be true, regardless if it was or not. (Omega appears in front of her.) Omega? (Omega): I can hear all your thoughts, you know? I think it's safe to assume that Connecticut was telling the truth. (Tex): But how would she have even gotten the information? (Omega): She worked here for a long time, and could have potentially broken into the Director's laboratory. (Tex): Unfortunately, I think you're right. Which means there's only one thing I can do. Tex stands up, and walks over to the suit of armor in the wall, and places her hand on the scanner. The armor releases itself from the wall, and morphs over her body. The helmet locks into place, and Tex's visor glows. End Scene An alarm blares, waking up Bowman in his bunk. He bounds from his bed, over to the armor in the wall. The hand scanner seemingly takes forever to work before allowing his armor to form over him. He runs out into the hallway, and sees all the other Freelancers charging toward the Bridge. He joins the crowd, not fully aware of the situation. The Freelancers race into the Bridge, finding Tex holding the Director up by his shirt. She turns, surprised, and drops the Director. (Carolina): Texas! (Bowman): Tex? (The Director): Agent Texas has gone rouge, take her out! Tex leaps to the side, taking off running out the other side of the room. The Freelancers follow, but slowly start to loose ground on her. (Carolina): We won't catch her! Bowman! (Bowman; cycling through the Infinity): I'm on it! (He transforms in XLR8, and speeds ahead.) XLR8 dashes seemingly passed Tex, swiping her up as he goes. He races down the hallway, into the Classroom, far from the other Agents. XLR8 drops Tex on her feet. (XLR8): So, tell me- (He reverts to Bowman) (Bowman): - What's going on? (He removes his helmet.) (Tex): You wouldn't believe me. I hardly believe it myself. (Bowman): Tex, I specifically brought you away from the others so you could tell me. (Tex): (She sighs.) Look, I don't want you to get caught up in this mess. (Bowman): I'm already in the mess. (Tex): Here. (She takes the flash drive from the compartment in her gauntlet.) This will explain everything. Bowman takes the drive, and sticks it into the USB port on one of the desks. He opens the only file on the drive, a video. C.T. appears on the screen. (Bowman): C.T.... (C.T.): Hello, Agent Texas. I have some information that you need to hear. The Director is corrupt. He is using the project for his own purposes, apart from the Agency. I'm going to have to give you some back story first. Many years ago, the Director had a woman, a fiance. They were in love. In a sick twist of fate, she was drafted into the Intergalactic Military, the Agency's more War-prone division. This was the last he heard from her. In his depression, Doctor Leonard L. Church devised a plan to get his fiance back. We would use Agency funds to obtain an A.I. that he could manipulate into becoming the personality of his late romance. Here are the documents and files I have to prove what I've said thus far. (Several documents and pictures appear on the screen, Bowman swipes them away.) The Director took the A.I., called Alpha, and gave it his memories, Since, A.I. have to be based off of the memory of a living human being. This had it take on his personality. Alpha remembered Allison, the dead fiance, perfectly. This is what the Director used to his advantage. He would put the Alpha through psychological torture, repeatedly telling Alpha that Allison had died. This caused the Alpha to split into several fragments, trying to rationalize what had happened to it. In this time of stress, the Director was able to extract the Alpha's memory of Allison and turn it into it's own A.I., calling it Beta after both the Alpha and Allison, her middle name being Elizabeth or Beth. This was then implanted in an android, for the specific purpose of recreating Allison. Texas, you are that android. (Bowman; bewildered): Tex...? (He turns to her, briefly before returning to C.T.'s recording.) (C.T.): This is the other proof I have to support my statements. (Several other documents appear and dissipate when Bowman swipes them away.) You and Bowman are the only two people I can trust. I feel that Drake-...Washington has been compromised. The others won't fully understand, and will probably choose to ignore it if they do. I'm trusting you to carry out what I left behind, in the likely event of my death. Be careful, Agent Texas. The recording ends, and Bowman removes the flash drive from the computer. He stands up, and turns to Tex. (Tex): Bowman... I- I need to you trust me. (Bowman): You and the other Freelancers are the only people that have been one hundred percent honest with me since I came here. I have no reason not to trust you. I will not let Connecticut's last wish be denied. (Tex): What are we gonna do? (Bowman): (He ponders for a moment.) We're going to steal the Alpha A.I. THE END Characters Heroes *Bowman *Tex *Washington *York *North *Carolina *C.T. (Recording) A.I. Units *F.I.L.S.S. *Omega Aliens *XLR8 Trivia *The Director's full name, Leonard L. Church, is revealed. *It is revealed that Tex is an A.I., based on the Director's late fiance, that is possessing an android look-a-like of her. *It is revealed that C.T. was actually not a villain.